A major function of absorbent articles used in personal hygiene is to absorb and contain bodily fluids or exudates. Absorbent articles are also intended to prevent contamination by soiling or wetting articles such as clothing or bedding. Very often contamination of clothing or other articles occurs when bodily exudates leak from the absorbent article through gaps or openings where the article meets the wearer's waist, leg, or other body part.
It has become a common practice to use disposable diapers with infants and incontinent people. Disposable diapers generally have a rectangular or hour glass shape and comprise an absorbent material sandwiched between a flexible backsheet and often an inner flexible frontsheet. The outer backsheet typically is liquid-impervious to prevent liquid drawn into the absorbent material from striking through the diaper and soiling additional clothing or bedding. On the other hand, the inner frontsheet is water-pervious to permit the voided liquid to pass therethrough into the absorbent material and provide a dry, comfortable garment.
Plastic films are often used in the fabrication of absorbent articles as replacements for woven fabrics. Plastics used in the industry are generated from high-speed production machinery and often include plastic films having an embossed design. U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,835 issued in 1969 discloses a plastic film embossed with a pattern to simulate a woven taffeta design. The simulated taffeta design disclosed in the above-mentioned patent is only an example of many different designs created and employed by film fabricators in their effort to simulate woven fabrics with respect to visual appearances and physical properties which are advantageous from a manufacturing and consumer standpoint. Another one of many such designs embossed on plastic film is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,147 issued in 1983 and directed to an embossed plastic film simulating a matte finish. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,029 was issued on a random embossed thermoplastic film simulating a matte or dull finish.
Waste barrier cuffs made of plastic films or film laminates with paper and nonwoven materials are stiff and noisy. Those cuffs are also uncomfortable when the absorbent articles are worn or come into contact with a person's body. Furthermore, the fabrication of absorbent articles including such cuffs and other features has become more expensive.
As evidenced by the above background, production of plastic film for use particularly in absorbent articles has been a continuously improving technology. However, there still exists a demand for a softer, more cloth-like film that eliminates the artificial effects normally associated with plastics when used in an absorbent article. In particular, there is a need for a barrier cuff on an absorbent article or a leg cuff on a disposable diaper which utilizes a more cloth-like film while providing an effective waste or body exudate containment barrier in a more comfortable and quiet manner.